


Hallowed Eve

by Aetherrryn



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Implied Attraction, No Byleth, Seasonal fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-31 00:55:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21027062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aetherrryn/pseuds/Aetherrryn
Summary: Claude does some research and decides to add a new holiday to the Fodlan calendar, spice up the academy some, and just maybe get a pair of pining lovebirds to be a little more honest with each other.In other words, Claude invents Halloween. Set in Garreg Mach Monastery





	Hallowed Eve

**Author's Note:**

> I have returned with an entirely separate one-shot, nothing to do with my GMU universe. In the spirit of October and all things spooky, how could I not write a Halloween themed Dimigard? 
> 
> Mainly set in Claude's perspective since I kind of wanted to try writing him. Anyway, Enjoy! And forgive any errors there might be, I tend to write at night when my brain is half-asleep.

“Hallowed Eve…?”

Came the first, hesitant response, surprisingly from the timid Bernadetta, dragged from her dormitory by the rest of her class. 

Claude grinned disarmingly and nodded, tossing his hands behind his neck. “Right. It think it’s a great idea.” The young duke waggled his brows as he glanced around, scanning the bewildered faces around him—some looked more open to the idea than others. His own rivals, of the lion and eagle houses respectively, looked rather pensive—again, one more than the other. 

And it was the eagle heiress to throw in her thoughts first. Edelgard scoffed quietly, shaking her head. “Of course you do; it is your idea.” The young woman crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes at the lord with some measure of suspicion. “Is this some sort of ploy to distract us?”

“It does not seem that way to me,” Dimitri protested, turning to look at his fellow student. He had, to Claude, not seemed as averse to the suggestion. “But…it is admittedly odd. What sort of celebration is this supposed to be?” 

“Oh, am I glad you asked. Petra, if you would?” To everyone’s surprise, the lord Riegan raised his hand and beckoned the foreign princess to the center of their little congregation. 

The mauve-haired woman stepped forward, glancing around and clearing her throat quietly. “I was explaining that in Brigid it is believed that the spirits gather on one night during the year. The people of Brigid are celebrating this night and offering food and other good things to the spirits to thank them—and to each other too.” She seemed a little hesitant as she spoke, giving effort to speak seamlessly.

Claude nodded appreciatively, smiling widely as she nodded to him again. “So as you see, your highness, it wasn’t just my idea. I’ve been reading about holidays like this for a while, and talking to different people—and it’s not that uncommon.” He gave Edelgard a pointed glance, then turned back to face everyone else. “I’ve found a few common factors—the appearance or, speculated appearance of spirits, ghosts or otherwise—,”

“Ghosts?” Someone squeaked, growing rather pale at the mention. A mousey, ashen-haired boy swallowed in discomfort. “Hold on, isn’t that—,” A girl beside him shushed him, though looking equally spooked.

The young lord coughed and continued his tirade. “Anyway, it’s a night of spooks, games, and most importantly,” He winked at a rather large blond-haired boy in his class. “Lots of food and sweets. I’ve even read that some choose to dress up and try to scare others in their costumes. So…what do you all think?”

There was a moment of quiet deliberation as students turned to each other and whispered, debating quietly whether or not starting such a tradition in their own academy was feasible. There was a surge of growing excitement as the possibilities awakened, as ideas came to mind. 

Growing tired of the indecision of the group, the white-haired heiress sighed and looked up, attempting to look unimpressed and uninterested, despite, truly having grown quite curious as to what a celebration such as the one he had described might look like. “What day would this ‘Hallowed Eve’ be?”

“The thirty-first of the Wyvern moon.” Claude replied with a grin, knowing full well that there would not be any nay-sayers. The opportunity for a new festivity was too enticing to pass over. 

The prince made a sound of astonishment, his brows furrowing. “That is nearly two months away, Claude.” He had been expecting an announcement of this holiday to be perhaps, in the next week or so.

“Well of course.” The archer raised his brows, raising his hand. “I needed to give you guys time to prepare, right? It’ll take more than a day to make your costumes. Besides, more time to fine tune the details.” He shrugged, completely at ease, as well as confident that his plan would be approved by all. Even the two house leaders looked interested, regardless of how they wished to appear. 

“I am not wearing a costume.” A young man grumbled, scowling, and Claude recognized him as the Fraldarius heir—a notoriously grumpy, taciturn young man. “This sounds stupid.” And then he paused, glancing at his house leader. “Hmph. A boar costume might fit you well though.”

Dimitri merely sighed, looking away as though he were well accustomed to hearing such things. “I suppose I am curious about this…” The prince cleared his throat and straightened some. “I assume there is no opposition from my house?” He swiveled his head, surveying the students around him. They shook their heads, a few in particular looking rather excited. “Then you have my support. We will help however you wish in order to see this festivity integrated successfully.”

Perhaps not wanting to be outdone, or perhaps simply swayed to agree, the white-haired heiress sighed and nodded. “I agree. It is admirable, I begrudgingly admit, that you are trying to do something so thoughtful. Whatever aid you require, the black eagles will seek to assist.”

“Wonderful.” Claude grinned again and gestured to his own house. “I’ve already talked it over with the rest of the deer; we’ve all got great ideas and I can’t wait to see them implemented. If anyone else has any suggestions to make the night more fun for all, feel free to come talk to me or Hilda.” 

Suddenly, a hazel-haired girl raised her hand, smiling cheerfully. “What kind of costumes are we talking about?”

The Riegan lord chuckled and crossed his arms. “Any kind. Whatever you want to be—whoever you want to be. The crazier the better in my opinion. We may even just host a contest to see who has the best one.”

That really sent a shiver of excitement through the crowd as students immediately turned and began to chatter of various ideas for what they would wear. 

“There are a few other festivities in development; a tournament perhaps, maybe a test of courage. But yeah, meeting adjourned. Thanks for hearing me out; I won’t disappoint you guys.” Claude waved his hand, watching with a satisfied smirk as the students began to trickle away, looking markedly more lively than they had when he had gathered them. 

Yet, even as the rest of their houses departed, the respective leaders remained. He raised his brow as the pair stood in place, neither looking at each other, nor at him. Ugh—they danced around each other like a pair of frightened birds. The mutual attraction was blatantly obvious, to him at least. Frankly, it was starting to irritate him. Claude sighed and rolled his eyes. 

“I’m surprised,” He lied fluidly, stepping towards the pair. “I wasn’t expecting you two to hop aboard my scheme.” Claude clasped his hands behind his back, sauntering between them with a practiced smile. 

Edelgard huffed, shifting her weight to her other foot. Once again, she was attempting to seem impassive, but really, she was too easy to read. “Well, for once, you had a good idea. I am sure that the rest of the students would appreciate a reprieve.”

“I concur.” The blond prince nodded, looking unabashedly interested. “And you Claude, are you planning on wearing a costume?” 

The young lord chuckled, cocking his head and smiling mischievously. “But of course. And you, your princliness?” He could only imagine what sort of get up the royal prince of Faerghus might don—if he even would. He certainly didn’t expect it of the high and mighty future emperor. 

Dimitri hummed and raised a hand to his chin, frowning faintly. “Perhaps. Though, I have not the slightest idea as to what attire to garb myself in.” Probably not a boar, at any rate. “What will you be wearing?” 

Claude wagged a finger and tutted. “Ah, ah, I’m not saying. That’s a surprise.” And he supposed that it couldn’t hurt to inquire, so he turned to the silent woman. “And what about her highness? Are you even planning on joining the celebration, or is it beneath your sensibilities to do so?”

Edelgard scowled and mocked a laugh. “Very funny, Claude. You need not make me seem as though I am entirely averse to festivity.” The young woman coughed and raised a fist to her mouth, averting her gaze. “That said…if the both of you are planning on dressing up, then it would be silly for me to be the only one not to.” She sighed, as though it were painful to say. 

He allowed himself a moment of pride—he had successfully recruited the other leaders to his scheme. Perfect. Well, now that he had gathered support, it was time to parse out the specifics.

The months seemed to pass quickly, what with all the classes, missions, and of course, his ceaseless planning and preparation. It was the first time anything like this was going to happen after all; he wanted to be assured that everything was flawless, seamless. 

He had recruited students to help with the cooking—a number of them had volunteered happily to provide baked goods and sweets. Others he had tasked with organizing a tournament complete with prizes, and still others he had secretly gathered to aid with preparing the test of courage—a specified path through the sealed forest complete with magical effects and illusions—and of course, a few machinations of his own. 

He made sure to have different students working on different tasks, just to be sure that at least some of the night would be novel and surprising to them. 

And all the while the buzz only grew—excitement and anticipation swelled as the Wyvern moon drew ever nearer. He heard whispers of expectations and hopes, heard others speak openly of what sorts of costumes they were crafting, or having tailored for them. He could not deny that even he was rather excited about it. 

And with pride, he could admit that he had even gotten the professors on board. Hanneman and Manuela had been a great help with some of the effects that were going to give the monastery an atmosphere. Seteth had actually been rather enthusiastic about the sealed forest test of courage, Catherine had been present to work out the safety details.   
As the Wyvern Moon loomed on the horizon, only a week away, the announcement had been made that Hallowed Eve would be implemented into the calendar and that on the thirty-first, students would be permitted to forgo the uniform and instead wear an, with some specification, appropriate costume for the day. The actual festivity would take place once the sun fell behind the horizon.

All in all, everything was coming together nicely. 

At long last, the highly anticipated day had arrived. Spirits were high all around the monastery as students awoke and realized what day it was. Some eagerly donned their newly made costumes, ready to flaunt them for others to behold, others decided to forgo dressing up until night fell. 

It turned out that each of the house leaders were of the latter. 

“Ah, I am a bit disappointed to see that neither of you are dressed up.” Claude greeted the pair, raising a hand.

Both were wearing their customary uniforms. Dimitri laughed quietly and crossed his arms, glancing at the woman a short distance away. “Well, the members of my house assured me that the effect would be better observed at night. But I was astounded to see how many students are already garbed in theirs.” 

“Indeed.” Edelgard sighed as though exasperated. “It seems that it is a popular concept. Some from my own house have already succumbed. Caspar threw on some rags and stuffed straw down his clothes and is calling himself a scarecrow.” Though she wanted to appear neutral, he caught the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. 

“Oh—is that what he was meant to be?” Dimitri’s brows rose. “I had noticed him earlier but I could not make out what he was.” 

“Well at least that’s creative.” Claude frowned as he thought of his own house—rather, one student in particular. “Lorenz is dressing up as ‘a noble’.” Oh the uproar that had been raised when everyone had heard his declaration. “But anyway, you two are going to take part in the test of courage, right?” That was what he had really been hoping for. 

He wasn’t surprised when Dimitri perked up. The blond was truly something else when it came to sincerity. “Yes, that had been what piqued my curiosity the most.”  
On the other hand…

Edelgard scoffed, seeming rather unimpressed. “What a foolish notion. I do not need to prove my lack of cowardice.” A rather contradictory statement, if he could say so himself. 

But he had been expecting that sort of response from her anyway—and he could counter it well enough.

“So you think that you could pass through unflinchingly?” He waggled his brows, goading her into admitting it.

“Of course.” The woman nodded gravely, unheeding of his ploy. 

Claude smirked, tucking his hands into his pockets. “Then prove it. I mean, if you say you can, then I think you should back it up. Or, are you really too scared to—,”  
“Fine!” She exclaimed, irritation evident on her face. “I will do it.” 

All according to plan. Claude smiled charmingly and winked at the blond prince, who in turn, merely raised a bewildered brow. 

Because in reality, Claude had secured two paths through the forest, and one was tailored specifically for the princess, and concurrently, the northern prince. Oh yes, he would send most students one way, but those two, he would send a different way—and if all went well, then…perhaps they would find a moment to bond. 

He said his farewells and meandered towards the golden deer house classroom, humming a cheery tune. He almost made it, the door just a few steps away, but a chilling voice interrupted him before he could enter. 

“What are you planning?” A cold voice slithered into his ear and he couldn’t withhold a shudder. 

Claude cleared his throat and looked up, pushing aside the sudden discomfort. “Ah, Hubert.” He looked over the man and nodded appreciatively. “Wow, your costume is terrifying, well done.” 

The black haired man raised a stern brow and crossed his arms, towering over him. “I am not wearing one.” He said smoothly, his voice frigid. 

“Oh, right—I guess that’s just you that’s terrifying.” The princess’s vassal never failed to send chills down his spine. How did Edelgard manage to deal with him constantly? “And you know, aside from the usual? Not much.”

Hubert’s eyes narrowed and he made a sound of irritation. “Do not play the fool with me, Riegan. If any harm befalls Lady Edelgard—.”

“Ok, relax.” The man frowned and raised his hands in innocence. “I’m not trying to hurt anybody. The only thing I’m planning is making this night fun for everyone.” That wasn’t a lie. It wasn’t entirely the truth either. He had just a tiny, little scheme that involved her magnificence and the blondie—but of course, neither of them was meant to get hurt in the process. “Now go on and enjoy yourself. Today’s a holiday you know.” With a wink that might have been a tad too bold when interacting with the severe man, Claude waved a dismissive hand and continued on to his class. 

Alas, the sun dipped low and evening came at last. The young lord of deer hurried back to his dormitory room, eager to change into his costume. Many of the other students that had not already done so hurried to do the same. 

He was truly most interested in what the leaders of his rival houses were going to wear. There was no way to imagine it, really. The possibilities were limitless. He himself had procured himself a costume that likened him to an incubus. He had done some reading about them and found them interesting. 

It was with pride that he clipped on a pair of black bat-like wings and tugged a pair of horns atop his head, humming as he examined himself in a mirror.   
Deciding that he looked frightening enough, the young man nodded and turned, ready to depart. 

First thing was first—the dining hall. A number of lovely ladies, and some gentleman had concocted a rather appetizing seasonal menu for the night, some of which he was keen on getting a bite of. 

Claude passed by a number of students, very few of whom were not dressed in a strange or interesting manner, which he was glad to see. If nothing else, than that at the very least could be considered a success. 

It was rather chilly outside. The wind was blowing and sweeping dry, colorful leaves upward. There was very little sunlight left—the sky was a deep crimson, almost ready now to surrender to the darkness of night. Perfect. A night like this one was sure to invoke an eerie atmosphere. 

The young lord found some of his classmates waiting for him, namely Hilda and the supposedly ‘dressed up’ Lorenz. 

“Ooh, Claude—now that is a good look on you.” The pink-haired woman declared, admiring him as he approached. She was dressed as a witch, it seemed—a pointed hat atop her head, a broom in hand, which was rather ironic considering she was not likely to use one. 

The other man hummed scornfully, his eyes scanning up and down. “Really? Tasteless.”

Well, he hadn’t been expecting Lorenz to praise him regardless. Claude rolled his eyes and beckoned the pair inside. “Everyone already in there?”

“Yep!” The girl chirped cheerfully, walking alongside him as he entered. “And everything smells amazing.” They stopped in the doorway, simply taking in the astonishing sight. Gone was the usual black and gold uniforms—nearly everyone wore something different, and some more outlandish than others. The usual dining hall seemed to have been replaced. 

He whistled low, amazed by the change. There were candles lining every table, and leaves set out in decoration. The hall was noisy though, full of chattering students—and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves, fortunately. 

“Go and sit down; I’ll join you in a minute.” He turned and waved his friends on, having spotted someone that he had wanted to speak to. The future emperor herself, flanked by two others. Claude cocked his head, a small smile adorning his lips as he greeted her. “Ah, her highness…and her knights? What are you all supposed to be? Members of a cult?” 

They were dressed similarly, he noticed—all wearing black cloaks, crimson shirts—the princess wearing a black skirt and long boots, but her vassals with trousers. 

Edelgard tossed her white hair and sighed, and when she opened her mouth to speak, he noticed fangs jutting out from between her lips. Oh? “I fished out a tale of Adrestia’s   
history; of a man they called Vladislav the Bloodthirsty. They claimed that he drank the blood of his victims and called him a vampire. That was my inspiration, Hubert followed my example, and well, Ferdinand…” She turned a dour gaze to the man at her left, crossing her arms. 

“I, Ferdinand Von Aegir had heard what Edelgard desired to dress as and wished to do the same—only better of course. I wished to exemplify the historic figure in a way that she could not. Thus, I am the true Vladislav Von Beringheim.” A lengthier explanation than necessary, he deemed, but not that surprising. 

If Claude knew anything of the eccentric noble it was that he liked tea and proving himself superior when it came to the princess. “I see. So you’re all vampires. I like it.” He nodded, rubbing his chin. Hubert certainly fit the part—he looked eerier, if that was even possible. He quickly looked away and cleared his throat. 

“And what are you supposed to be?” The man he had tried to ignore spoke, and Claude was forced to look up again. Hubert raised his brow in that familiar manner that never failed to stir some unease in him. 

“Er, a demon. To put simply.” He shrugged, scanning the room again. Thus far, he had not seen a head of blond hair, which was a tad disappointing. He truly wanted to see what Dimitri had come up with. “You haven’t seen our favorite Faerghus noble around, have you?” He asked, still searching in case he had somehow missed him. 

Edelgard blinked, perhaps surprised by the query. “Dimitri? No, I have not. I had assumed that you already had.” 

“Nope; I do see some of his house though.” The grey-haired archer, who seemed to be some sort of animal, if the whiskers drawn on his face meant anything. The grumpy Fraldarius noble, unsurprisingly one of the few to have forgone dressing up, the rigid Ingrid—who was perhaps some sort of angel, and of course the flirtatious Sylvain. He couldn’t tell what he was supposed to be either. That left four unaccounted for. “I guess he’ll show up.” He said, only to suddenly feel a chill run down his spine. A hulking shadow loomed over him and he startled, swiftly whirling around. “Wha—,”

Not even Edelgard had been immune to the sudden imposing presence. The young woman took a step back upon noticing what he had, her eyes going wide. 

“Saint Seiros—is that you, Dimitri?” Claude pressed a hand to his chest, regaining control of his heart. 

In the light, when he stepped into it, it was evident that the monster was in fact a man. A man wearing a ridiculously big, furred cloak that had given him the appearance of something much bigger. But of everyone he had yet seen, Dimitri did look the most different. 

“Yes, Claude, it is.” The man sounded amused, a slight smile tinting his otherwise ghastly face. “I apologize for my tardiness, Mercedes and Annette would not let me leave until they were satisfied that I looked the part.” 

“And what part would that be?” A cool voice cut in. Edelgard had resumed her composure as well, swiftly taking part in the conversation again. 

Dimitri raised a claw-like hand to push his hair from his face—and his hair was one of the most startling differences. It was shaggy, hanging about his face in a disorderly fashion in comparison to the usual neat style he kept it in. “There is a legend in Faerghus, of men that turned into beasts when a full moon hung in the sky. My house decided that I could depict such a beast well.” 

Well, that was undeniable. He certainly looked frightening—and whatever the women had done to his face, it only added to the harrowing appearance. He looked haggard—and he just then noticed a pair of ears jutting out from between the golden strands. 

“I think I agree with them.” Claude grinned, glad to see that both leaders had taken part thus far. “Now then, why don’t we all grab something to eat. Everyone’s outdone themselves with preparations.” 

He had been waiting all night for this. Claude walked a short distance from the quietly bickering house leaders, whistling as he trailed behind them. From what he could tell, they were arguing about who deserved the title of ‘most frightening costume’.

Edelgard had forced Hubert to partake, and unsurprisingly defended her choice. 

“The costume itself is not frightening—I hardly think that should count.” Dimitri sounded discontent with the princess’s vassal having taken that title. 

“I disagree—it only serves to enhance his eeriness, thus there is no issue. Bernadetta fainted at the sight of him.” 

Dimitri scoffed quietly. “That is hardly unusual. I think that Marianne should have won regardless. Ashe seemed genuinely terrified of her.” 

Claude grinned as he recalled the competition—as the pair had said, one of the judges had fainted, the other went white as a sheet and stammered through his vote. He had to give it to Hilda, she really did a marvelous job on their friend. The blue-haired maiden had looked positively frightening in her ghostly attire.

“Ah, here we are.” He rushed between the two, smoothly wrapping his arms around their shoulders. “The Test of Courage.” There was a line of students already, waiting for Catherine to declare their turn next. 

Edelgard huffed and shook off his arm, folding her own over her chest again. “Really? I cannot fathom why so many people want to take part.” 

“Because it’s fun.” Claude insisted, shaking his head with a tired frown. “If you even know what that is. Either way, you two are going…” He turned them to face a different entryway, snapping his fingers. “This way.” As he snapped, two ghostly blue fires burst into existence. An eerie mist rolled in, creating more of an unsettling atmosphere. 

The blond prince turned his head and raised a brow at him. “You set up a different path for us?” 

“Hah. I cannot wait to see what nonsense you have awaiting us.” The woman scoffed, her eyes narrowing.

“Nonsense, eh? Fine. We’ll see what you have to say later. Have fun, kids.” With a wink, the young man waved his hand and departed, making for the other line to greet the waiting knight.

“This seems highly suspicious.” Edelgard sighed, flicking away a strand of white hair. “He has planned something, but I cannot make out what it is.”

Her companion shrugged and turned to the blue-lit path. “Or perhaps he simply has greater expectations for us.” Without hesitation, the young man strode in. Edelgard hurried after him, frowning.

“How naïve could you possibly be? This is Claude—of course he has ulterior motives.” She matched his pace and glanced around, watching as the blue lights behind them hissed away—and a new pair burst into life a few feet in front. “He lives and breathes to scheme.” Even she could not deny that he had succeeded in creating an eerie environment, if nothing else. The woman shivered and rubbed her arms. “Ugh, it is cold.”

“I like it. It feels quite pleasant to me—but then, I am wearing this cloak.” He raised his arm to emphasize the point, then paused. “Do you want to share it?” 

How infuriatingly sincere this man could be. Edelgard shook her head, refusing to bow to such inconsequential discomforts. “I just want to get this over with.” Something rustled in the darkness and she paused, casting a wary eye through the fog, barely illuminated by the dancing flames. “You do not think that Claude would have set up an ambush…”

“He did say that it was safe.” Came the reassuring reply as the man stopped beside her. “But I am sure that you and I would be perfectly capable of neutralizing any threats.”

“Without weapons?” She raised a brow, crossing her arms over her chest to maintain some semblance of warmth. “Perhaps. You would fare better than I would, certainly.” Without a moment’s delay, she began to walk again, eager to trek through the forest return to the warmth of her room. 

Dimitri chuckled behind her, quickly catching up. “Rest assured, I would protect you.”

She bit her tongue, forcing herself to remain composed. This was why it was difficult to be alone with him—he made her feel so…distracted. Of all people, he was one of the few that could truly break her carefully crafted mask. He was rather dangerous in his genuine, kind-hearted nature. It frightened her to some degree. 

And nothing she ever said ever shook him, no matter how cold she was to him, he only smiled in return. 

Dimitri had a way of making her feel things that she had decided long ago to spurn. 

And as she pondered these troubling thoughts, the blue fire suddenly went out. She and her companion were left in utter darkness. Instinctively, she took a step back, startling when she felt something at her back. The woman spun around in a brief panic.

“Peace.” His voice breathed over her ear. “It is just me.” It was unfathomably soothing—low and smooth, always so calm. So it was no surprise that it settled her nerves easily. 

The young woman cleared her throat and stepped away, slightly ashamed by her reaction. Darkness always…made her uneasy. “Right.” This was foolish—all of it. She swallowed thickly and attempted to orient herself—difficult to do. The darkness was thick and no moonlight could penetrate through the heavy canopy of leaves overhead. 

A chilling laugh echoed through the wood and she the hair rise on the back of her neck. Her heart began to patter just a little more quickly and she cleared her throat, glancing around. It had sounded like…a little girl. 

What in Sothis’ name had Claude prepared? “Let’s go.” She forced herself to say, trudging on as yet another gleeful giggle seemed to sweep through the frigid air. She was not Bernadetta—not frightened of ghosts or other silly, fanciful imaginings. Nonetheless, she walked a little faster than she had before.

For a while, there was no sound but the thudding of their feet against the forest floor, the quiet puffs of air as they breathed—the wind rustling through the leaves. And every so often, the laugh would ring in the air, clear as a bell, haunting and unsettling, and she did her utmost to ignore it.

They said nothing to each other as they walked, perhaps each caught in their own rumination. But the silence could not last forever.

Just as before, the blue flames appeared again, floating and providing a dim light. 

She sighed, glad to have some light to see by, if at least only so little. The woman stepped forward, intent on merely trudging onward, but fingers curled around her wrist and pulled her back. With a frown, she raised her head to peer at her companion and admonish him, but he was not looking at her. His eyes were pinned back, staring at something behind them. 

She followed his gaze and stiffened.

Amidst the curling mist, a ghost figure wavered in the dim light. A little girl with a ragged white dress and unbound, tangled hair. Another tinkling laugh swelled through the forest and the ghost form vanished for a moment—only to reappear closer.

“That—,” She blinked, her heart clenching with discomfort. She knew it was fake—it had to be. It was one of Claude’s machinations, however he had managed it; she knew that in her right mind. But that did not stop her from taking a step back when the apparition disappeared and reformed even closer, laughing tauntingly. 

And again—closer.

Logic and reason seemed whispers then as irrational fear began to scream in her head. The woman made a strangled sound. “Go—,” She choked out, pulling at the grip on her wrist. “Just—go!” 

Barely cognizant of pulling the man behind her, she turned and began to run. The laugh followed them as they fled, ringing in their ears, harrowing and cold. Edelgard barely heeded when his hand slid down her wrist and coiled with her own. She just wanted to get out of the bloody forest. 

The blue fires flicked out and back as they ran, streaks of azure blurs. Her hair whipped past in her in silver slivers. 

And then they were free of the narrow path—a ring of blue burning fires lit up the edge of an old ruin—the remnants of weathered pillars and old stone. They ceased running, taking a moment to catch their breath. Edelgard released a wavering sigh, glancing behind them warily. The spectral figure was nowhere in sight. 

But no reprieve was granted her. The sound of tiny, shrill, squeaks met her ears and she felt her blood run cold. Slowly, she turned her gaze downward, surveying the stone path work. Something darted across her line of vision and she sucked in a sharp breath. 

“El?” A quiet voice stole her attention and she hummed, not certain that she could speak without stammering. A warm hand squeezed hers—warm even through the gloves. “Are you alright?”

Another small shape skittered—and another, and she swallowed thickly, squeezing his hand back. “I…hate,” The woman took a breath, forcing herself to remain composed—as composed as she could. “Rats.” She finished. Vile rodents—filthy, horribly creatures. 

The blue fires hissed away and left them in darkness once more—a cruel taunt. And she could simply hear them, the patter of their tiny clawed feet, the hideous squeaks. 

“Just a little further, El.” She felt a tug on her hand. He was a calm and steady presence at her side; it was unfair that he was so unperturbed while she stood quaking. 

Wordlessly, she allowed him to tug her onward, breathing through her nose and forcing herself to disregard the nasty creatures darting to and fro. 

Something ran across her foot and she yelped, instinctively pressing herself closer to her companion. His arm wrapped around her back and he held her, leading her through the darkness. She trembled as she walked, staring forward, biting her tongue. Dimitri pulled her into his side and heaped half of his cloak over her shoulder, enveloping her in blessed warmth. 

It seemed an eternity that they trekked through the darkness—and entirely a different world. Their own world. Despite the terror that shivered down her spine, Edelgard had not allowed herself to know such peace as she felt by his side. This seemed some sort of illusory veil that they had entered, where nothing seemed to matter but the simple drive to, of all things, survive. 

Rank, status, their stations did not matter here—just the warmth of each other’s hands and the solace found within them. 

Even though they had long since passed the ruin and the rats set loose there, they did not part. Though neither said a word, they remained pressed together, comfortable, having discovered a foreign peace; one they were both loath to give up. 

And really it was not until they traveled all the way back to the monastery, dolefully parting ways before the dormitory chambers that they left each other’s side, Claude noted, watching from the shadows himself. 

With a chuckle of satisfaction, he plucked the horns off his head, stifling a yawn. All in all, the day seemed to have been a resounding success. He wouldn’t mind making it more of an annual thing. And maybe, just maybe, the pair of lovesick buffoons would be a little more honest with each other now.

**Author's Note:**

> So, just a splash of seasonal fun with all our favorite characters thrown in. I don't know how well it turned out, but it was fun enough to write.
> 
> I've been feeling the biggest urge to write nsfw Dimigard, but I'm also not confident enough about my smut writing skills just yet to think about posting any. Maybe that will pop up in my university series first or in yet a separate fic, because I also want to write time-skip Dimigard, be that in an AU or otherwise. 
> 
> We'll see I guess. I also have my original works to continue writing. But anyway, thank you for sparing this humble fic your time! Leave a comment or a kudos, and I'll see you elsewhere, folks!


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